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Ava DuVernay’s film “Origin” comprises many moments that resemble a documentary. That’s not a bad thing, considering the cinematic art form’s pursuit of truth, or whatever approximates it.
“Origin” is based on Isabel Wilkerson’s influential nonfiction best-seller “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.” This sweeping analysis of discrimination links American racism, the Nazi persecution of Jews, and India’s caste system. Now, with DuVernay’s skillful eye and open heart, it transforms into a historical mystery.
Brava!
DuVernay takes us back to basics and introduces us to Wilkerson (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), the story’s protagonist. This becomes part of her personal journey as she allows herself to be drawn into the subject while her life seems to unravel.
She lets her mind (and ours) navigate through history, presenting case studies from her research—sometimes through extended sequences, other times glimpsed only through fast-moving flashes. The ambition is high, and when it succeeds (which is for the most part), the impact is profound.
“Origin” begins with the slow buildup to Trayvon Martin’s murder (Myles Frost) by George Zimmerman in 2012. I’ve noticed some colleagues using the word “killing,” but I object vehemently.
The word is murder. Plain and simple. Zimmerman murdered Trayvon Martin.
Wilkerson is fatigued—an internal feeling familiar to many writers—and she wants (no, needs) a break after writing an award-winning book. Because of her brilliance, she is approached by one of her editors about a story about Martin’s murder, but she initially declines. However, something snaps inside her after listening to Zimmerman’s 911 call recordings and contemplating how a Latino man murdered an African American teen in a gross, misguided attempt to protect a white neighborhood.
In a heart-wrenching realization, similar to what many of us also experienced, we understand that this isn’t just old-fashioned, Black-versus-white racism. No, this is deeper and closer to the core of the problem.
“Racism as the primary language to understand everything is insufficient,” Wilkerson tells a few colleagues. “Everything can’t be racist. Something else, something deeper, is at work here.” And regrettably, she’s right.
Then, the writer embarks on a profound journey to comprehend the ways different cultures have established social hierarchies. To elucidate this point, DuVernay takes us on a historical odyssey.
She offers us a glimpse into the life of August Landmesser (Finn Wittrock), a German shipyard worker remembered as the man who refused to give the Nazi salute in an iconic 1935 crowd photo. Despite being a member of the Nazi party years earlier, he got engaged to a Jewish woman, Irma Eckler (Victoria Pedretti), which violated Nazi miscegenation laws modeled after American laws.
Later, the narrative delves into the story of African American anthropologist Allison Davis (Isha Blaaker), who, along with his wife and colleagues Burleigh and Mary Gardner, went undercover in Jim Crow-era Natchez, Mississippi, to study social divisions on both sides of the racial divide.
I understand it’s a lot to absorb. The same can be said for the movie as well. DuVernay took a chance, but she seems eager to showcase events in Wilkerson’s life that influenced her research.
The writer is in the process of moving her elderly and ailing mother into a nursing home and grappling with the decision. She’s married to Brett Hamilton, a white man (Jon Bernthal), in a union that would have been forbidden just a few decades earlier.
Wilkerson’s ideas and opinions swirl in her head, affecting her world in the most unexpected ways. She encounters a plumber (Nick Offerman) wearing a Make America Great Again hat. Eventually, she visits Germany and debates with a friend about the differences between the Nazi extermination of Jews and the American slave trade. She eventually finds answers in India’s caste system and in the treatment of Dalits, once known as “untouchables”—the lowest rung of India’s social hierarchy, often tasked with cleaning toilets with their bare hands.
DuVernay might face criticism for evoking strong emotions, yet her fearlessness in embracing sentimentality serves a purpose: She’s resolute about her artistic vision. While the film’s structure might not resonate with everyone, DuVernay’s focus on reasserting these characters’ humanity and, consequently, our own, is essential to her storytelling.
The absence of “Origin” from discussions in the film award season could be attributed to various factors. One plausible reason might be the film’s broader context, delving into complex and challenging themes that might not align with the mainstream award preferences. The absence of significant star power, particularly in the lead role, portrayed by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, could have contributed to its limited recognition.
Clayton Davis from Variety has brought attention to the film being overlooked in the award season conversation. His article sheds light on this issue and offers insights into the possible reasons behind the film’s underappreciation. For those interested, here is the link to his analysis on the subject: https://variety.com/2023/film/awards/ava-duvernay-origins-snubbed-overlooked-awards-1235835147/
“Origin” opens January 19.
Written and directed by Ava DuVernay. Produced by Ava DuVernay and Paul Garnes. Matthew J. Lloyd, cinematographer. Kris Bowers, composer.
Starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts, Emily Yancy, Finn Wittrock, Victoria Pedretti, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Isha Carlos Blaaker, Vera Farmiga, Audra Mcdonald, Connie Nielsen, Blair Underwood, Nick Offerman, Stephanie March, and Myles Frost.
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